Since the 1940’s, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice have been used by the beauty industry to test their products. The tests involve restraining the animals so that chemicals can be dripped in their eyes or spread on their shaved skin. Not only is it notoriously unreliable, the testing is extremely cruel, causing eye redness, swelling, ulceration, skin cracking and bleeding – even blindness. Rabbits have no tear ducts, unlike humans, which prevents their eyes from naturally removing harmful substances.

The U.S. continues to allow cosmetics testing on animals, despite the ban on the cruel practice in Europe, Israel and India. Rabbits are the most commonly used animals in the tests.

Yeoman’s photo shows the actor wearing a Be Cruelty-Free t-shirt while holding a rescued rabbit named Nibbles.

Yeoman said, “It’s the saddest thing to know that rabbits can’t cry, which is one of the reasons these gentle creatures are used in painful eye tests for cosmetics. When I think of their unnecessary suffering I could certainly shed a tear, so I’m backing the Be Cruelty-Free campaign to see an end to animal testing in North America and globally. Show the bunnies some love and let’s end cosmetics cruelty.”

Lewis donated a personal photo for a day of global #BeCrueltyFree tweeting. The photo shows the singer with her own rescued bunny, Melrose.

She said, “Ending animal testing for cosmetics is close to my heart, and so is my bunny Melrose. Melrose is so gentle and loving with such an amazing personality all her own, it breaks my heart to know there are thousands of rabbits who are just as special suffering a terrible fate to test cosmetics. I would never dream of causing Melrose pain, but in laboratories around the world, rabbits and other helpless animals still have chemicals dripped in their eyes or spread over their sensitive skin just to test new lip sticks or shampoo. I want their suffering to stop. I’m proud to be a bunny-hugger for Be Cruelty-Free on International Rabbit Day. Be a bunny-hugger too and let’s end cosmetics cruelty!”